Like how she got her scar, he could not know this with any certainty since he could never ask because she’d never tell.

He still knew it right to his balls.

It was not his job to set her free.

It had nothing to do with him.

She was not his end game.

He had to let her be.

He had to end it with her and find another way.

He had the power to save her from one ugly thing that infected her life.

And he was going to save her from that.

He was going to save her from Nick Sebring.

Chapter Fourteen

Habit

Olivia

5:12 p.m. – The Next Day

I stared at my phone.

I was at David’s office, now my office, working, trying to catch up. Until I shifted it to Georgia I was still buried under two jobs.

I wasn’t thinking about work.

Normally by now, Nick had texted me. Told me when I was free to come over. Usually sometime around six and usually including telling me what he was going to be cooking.

No text.

I waited. I worked. I worried.

I went home at close to seven and still there was nothing from Nick.

I made myself a big salad, ate it all alone in my huge kitchen, and close to nine, texted, Are you okay?

I eventually went to bed.

It was the first night in three weeks I’d hit my bed without first hitting Nick’s so Nick could hit me.

I tossed and turned all night, my phone by my bed.

Dawn came.

And from Nick, there was nothing.

* * * * *

8:36 p.m. – Three Days Later

I knocked at Nick’s door.

The Jag was there. The huge windows that, on the stairs, in his recessed entryway or even from the street I could not see into, were lit, the soft glow from the bedroom, a brighter glow from the living room.

I heard nothing.

He didn’t answer the door.

I looked to the large signature bows of the black Valentino platform, peep-toe pumps I wore.

Those bows, so simple, still a thing of beauty.

At least there was some beauty in the world I could own.

I looked to Nick’s door.

He was in there.

But we were over.

He was the smart one.

The strong one.

Thank God one of us was.

I walked down the steps with my head held high. We were friendly. He’d stopped communicating. Now I was just an acquaintance he’d fucked who was checking on him.

I had no proof but still, I knew he was fine.

I could move on.

Yes, I would move on.

Nothing to look forward to, not anymore.

But that was okay. Naturally, I’d keep breathing.

It was habit.

I made it to the bottom of the steps, went to my car, got in and drove away.

I didn’t even look up to Nick’s unit.